European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 12, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Onto Brewster place a Good but not great miniseries the women of Brewster place meant a lot of things to a lot of people when the miniseries first came out in the Spring of 1989. To Many it was proof that roots was t unique that you could make a miniseries entirely about Blacks and get most of the country tuning in. To Many Black men it was offensive with Only a couple of exceptions the men in the lives of the women of Brewster place were scoundrels making the women s lives of poverty and discrimination worse. It s a very stereotypical process of How Black men Are portrayed was a typical comment from Willis Edwards president of the Hollywood calif., chapter of the a act. Black men deserve a mores fair shake within the movie Industry and the television to Many Blacks of All both and for that matter Whites it was a Brilliant portrait of courage of women in the ghetto finding happiness in the Teeth of disaster. To those who know Oprah Winfrey Only As a talk show Host it meant the unexpected discovery of a great new actress playing Mattie Michael teen Ager to Rock of Gibralter senior citizen Winfrey is Superb. Now Aboul a year and a half later the women is going to be on an for the next two wednesday evenings. And now that the dust has settled it May be a Little clearer to see the Minise Ries for what it is. Good. A Nice solid Job. Not unique not the Caliper of roots or lonesome Dove. But Good work. Like most miniseries the women based on a 1982 novel by Gloria Naylor and made by Winf Rey s production company involves several main characters and follows them through several dec Ades fortunately we Don t have to put up with fabulous wealth and badly filmed world wars As one does in most miniseries this one s about real people. The main character is Mattie seduced by a sneaky farmhand brutally beaten by her father because of it sent out of the South and soon living As an unwed Mother with an older woman who eventually leaves her her House. Her son this is where Black men really Start to object turns out to be a scoundrel whose Trou Bles with the Law and bail jumping Cost her the House. Dead broke she winds up in another City in a tenement on Brewster place in among a group of Black women who together work to make their lives better. The women features surely one of the most outstanding cast of Black actresses Ever Assem bled Cicely Tyson Hob Givens Jackee Paula Kelly Mary Alice Phyllis Yvonne Stickney Lynn Whitfield Oliva Cole and Gonotte Mckee As Well As Winfrey. Iho real standout besides Winfrey is Kelly playing a lesbian who moves with her Lover to Brewster place and collides with discrimination Tom women who themselves have been victims of discrimination of other sorts All their lives there s a fabulous scene with Kelly infuriated by a snooping neighbor starts throwing meatloaf fixings at the neighbor s window Yelling laugh ing then crying hysterically. She s Brilliant. What s not so Brilliant and maybe that s Why the women probably won t be in the category of Best miniseries Ever made is much of the script. Typical is a scene right after the meatloaf throwing incident with Winfrey and Jackee Dis cussing the topic of lesbianism so slowly and reaching conclusions so banal you Long for a handful of chopped onions to throw yourself. Still that s quibbling. Despite a few faults the women is a miniseries Well Worth watching if for no other reason than to see just How Good Winf Rey is. _ these two weeks Are All we get. Winfrey launched a weekly television series based on the miniseries but it died in the ratings and armed above Oprah Winfrey s the women of Brewster place airs wednesday on an. Below William Shatner s Rescue 911" is on seb next weekend. Sarah Bottorff to plus forces radio and television service decided not to pick it up. Despite heavy publicity the series performed quite poorly for Abc and was can celled after several episodes aired said Larry Marotta programming manager of the to division at arts. Brewster place will not appear on the arts Southern european broadcasting gets the miniseries in Early october. It s otherwise a week of ending for an. Wise Guy s season s up monday. Tohir of duty ends another year with a two-hour1 special tuesday night. Batman is Over saturday although a 1965 full length Batman movie with the same cast airs wednesday afternoon. And a week of starts the frugal gourmet returns this week on thursday. And quantum leap which premiered with a movie last week starts up this Friday As a regular series. The is seb s week to premiere Rescue 911, the reality series in which William Shatner Nar rates a Bunch of True life and re enacted rescues of people on Cliffs having heart attacks or otherwise in need of rescuing. It s coming on next weekend at a time to be announced later. Seb also gets Star search returning also next weekend at a time to be announced later. As for movies the interesting but slow moving French Liete aunt s woman with meryl Streep. Comes on sunday. The annihilator described by movie reviewer Leonard Maltin As a Nasty and repellent horror film is on Friday. Also horrific but better made is the 1944 Jack the Ripper film the lodger on wednesday. And Good old Perry Mason is Back in the Case of the sinister spirit wednesday night. V. Inside to plus the Nielsen ratings to listings video reviews top 10 videos cafes movie schedules movie reviews top 10 movies 4 5-8 9 9 10 11 11 staff editor Art director production editorial assistance Sarah Bottorff Sharon Kilday Lisa Williams Denise Adams Marian Hamilton Lashawn Sykes on the Coyer the Prince s Valet Nick Lloyd thinks Heidelberg s a no Good town for Ner do Wells. In the student the Story on the play is on the adjoining Page. A stars and stripes Publica Tion Page 2 to plus sunday August 12, 1990 j
